Russia’s winged glide bombs

Moscow’s extensive use of low-tech glide bombs in the ongoing Ukraine conflict has become a major concern for Ukrainian forces


GLIDE BOMB COMPONENTS

High-explosive freefall bomb

Weapon attaches to underside of warplane

UMPK* kit
Navigation system and wings convert bomb into guided weapon. Russia has vast numbers of freefall bombs such as 500kg FAB-500

Guidance: Weapon may home in on coordinates from GLONASS – Russia’s less-precise version of U.S. GPS system

Kit cost: Around $24,000 according to Russian sources – fraction of price of cruise missile

*Unified module for gliding and guidance


Once in flight, bomb flips over so wing is on top

Wings fold out, extending range of weapon

Plan view

Small size and brief flight time make bomb hard to intercept


MISSION PROFILE

1 Launch: Russian jet releases glide bomb beyond effective range of Ukrainian air defences

2 Range: Up to 70km if bomb is released at higher altitudes

3 Target: Weapon has limited accuracy but size of munition – up to 1,500kg – poses serious threat

1 2 3

Weapon can be released at altitudes between 500m and 12km

Diagram not to scale


Sources: Forbes, Kyiv Independent, RUSI, The Drive, WeaponSystems.net
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